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Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Refreshing Avocado Mango Salad

Summer is avocado and mango season and the combination of these two fruits are common fare in African, Caribbean and tropical island cuisine. There are several versions of the Avocado Mango salad recipe and most are given a simple olive oil and lime juice dressing. In fact the dressing is sometimes used with avocados alone as a side dish. Other recipes will incorporate romaine lettuce for a more common salad appearance.

The recipe I've chosen to use includes red onions and jalapeno peppers into the mix. The sweet, tangy and spicy combination of flavors work well together in this refreshing summer dish. Sweet coconut flakes which can be easily found in the baking section of most groceries are an optional but highly recommended topping to this tropical favorite. This salad can be served and enjoyed by itself or as a side dish to grilled fish or seafood or even grilled chicken. Also worth considering this dish as an ingredient to homemade tacos.

Servings: 2

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

1 Avocado

1 Ripe Mango

1 Teaspoon Jalapeno Peppers Diced

1 Tablespoon Red Onion Diced

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon Lime Juice

1 Tablespoon Sweet Coconut Flakes

Step 1: Slicing the Avocado -- Cut the avocado in half lengthwise (should end up with two pear shape halves). Remove the pit and use a large spoon to scoop out the meat into two whole halves. Slice the avocado halves into strips lengthwise and arrange on a plate or large bowl. Below is a quick video demo on how to cut an avocado.

Step 2: Cutting the Mango -- The mango has a flat oblong pit at its center. To cut the cheeks on either side of the mango pit first place the mango on a chopping board. It will naturally lie on one cheek. Tip the mango 90 degrees to its side lengthwise. The pit will be about a half inch thick at the center. About a quarter inch from the center cut the right cheek off followed by the left cheek. You should be left with three mango pieces: two cheeks and a meaty pit. For the mango cheeks, lie the cheeks on the chopping board skin side down. Use a sharp knife to cut the meat of the cheek into lengthwise strips all the way down to the skin without piercing it. Then cut the strips crosswise creating a checkered cut. Then use a large spoon to scoop out the chopped meat from the skin and add it to the plate of avocado strips. For the meat on the pit, peel the skin off and simply use a sharp knife to cut the meat off the edges of the pit. Add the mango meat to the avocado. Below is a nice video on how to cut a mango.

Step 3: Combining the Salad -- Add the red onions and jalapeno peppers to the avocado and mango plate. In a small bowl add the olive oil and lime juice and stir until well combined. Drizzle the olive oil and lime dressing over the salad. Use a spoon to combine the ingredients. Sprinkle the coconut flakes over the entire dish and serve.